IF trust and respect are the cornerstone of a relationship, it’s little wonder AFL Victoria and country footy leagues around the state don’t seem to holding hands right now.
Just last week, AFL Victoria blindsided the Sunraysia Football Netball League (SFNL) by making the position of football development manager Trevor Ryan redundant.
The first the league knew about it was when a shattered Ryan came in to their office and told them what had happened.
It’s understood Ryan’s position was one of five around Victoria to be redundant.
When Sunraysia Daily went searching for answers, it was offered a “no comment” response by AFL Victoria to a list of questions.
That’s simply not good enough.
It left everyone in the dark, including the SFNL which was seeking an urgent meeting to find out what the hell was going on.
For a governing body, AFL Victoria’s lack of transparency in this instance is what breeds mistrust.
When the old VCFL handed over the administration of country footy to AFL Victoria, a lot of faith was placed in the AFL to do the right thing by the game, the communities and volunteers.
But that faith is not just being tested, it’s close to breaking.
In footy parlance, there is feeling of us v them, rather than working together as a team.
And none of that is good for footy.
AFL Victoria flew a representative up on Monday to talk to the Sunraysia board and executive.
The details around the robust discussions remain under the hat for now, but hopefully it is a first step in mending some wounds, or at least rebuilding some mutual trust and respect.
Earlier this year, the SFNL rejected AFL Victoria’s pitch to set up a Regional Administration Centre (RAC) in Sunraysia.
The concept of RAC is solid, it is aimed at, among other things, reducing the load on volunteers and streamlining administration.
But many country regions across Victoria have walked away from the RAC set up because it was so costly.
The business model didn’t stack up for them.
In a nutshell, leagues were paying more and more for AFL Victoria staff to do work that they could do themselves for a lot less money. A lot less.
AFL Victoria can’t be bitter that these leagues, and by extension clubs, have made what for them is a fiscally responsible decision.
While it would be fantastic for a governing body like AFL Victoria to help administer competitions, it can’t be at any cost.
Local leagues and clubs, including those in Sunraysia, have successfully run their own competitions for years. They are pretty savvy about it, and the current healthy financial position of the SFNL is testament to that. Our clubs are also in good positions.
But it doesn’t mean that AFL Victoria doesn’t have a big role to play, particularly in rural and regional Victoria.
In terms of developing the game, providing pathways for elite talent, running school clinics, providing links to AFL clubs, running programs, seminars etc, we need the AFL to continue to invest in our regions.
Right or wrong, there is a perception that the AFL bleeds money out of country leagues but doesn’t invest enough back. And that is what the AFL needs to change.
Auskick is an example where the AFL receives $85 per kid for a 10-week program that club volunteers are required to run. The kids get a bit of cheap merchandise from the AFL but the clubs doing all the work get nothing. Can you imagine the amount of money Auskick generates for the AFL with every kid across the state? What a cash cow.
But is any of that money finding its way back into country regions?
Instead, we see the AFL invest millions and millions into overseas junkets, into hosting games in markets like China, into expansion teams in non-AFL markets. And for what?
Perhaps rather than wining and dining Chinese politicians, or attending Super Bowls, the AFL hierachy should be investing more into identifying why junior numbers are in decline in regional areas, and doing something about it. This is where their future lies, not in Beijing.
Business is not just about growing your customer base, it is about retaining the one you already have. And country footy is a loyal base the AFL can’t afford to lose.
